A group of Chester Freemasons have made a donation to The Hospice of the Good Shepherd in memory of a member's late wife.

Members of Belgrave Lodge 5711, one of Chester's longest-established Masonic lodges, recently presented a cheque for £1,075 to the hospice's interim Chief Executive, Caroline Siddall.

The donation was made in memory of Irene Wilkinson, the wife of longstanding Belgrave Lodge member Alan Wilkinson.

She passed away in December last year after a difficult battle with Leukaemia.

The lodge initially agreed to donate £500 from its charity funds, a decision readily supported by its members.

Individual contributions from lodge members further augmented this sum, before Alan Wilkinson boosted the total with his own personal donation.

A further £216 enhancement from the Cheshire Freemasons Charity (CFC) brought the total amount to £1,075.

Caroline Siddall, interim chief executive of the Hospice of the Good Shepherd, expressed deep gratitude for the support.

"We're so grateful to the members of Belgrave Lodge and the Cheshire Freemasons Charity for their support," she said.

"It is one of those special donations that has been inspired by personal loss and made possible through lodge members' commitment, generosity and a real appreciation of the work we do to support patients in the final chapter of their life, and their loved ones.

"What a fitting tribute."

Alan Wilkinson added: "Irene and I have always been keen hospice supporters and I feel sure she would have approved of the way in which our fraternity of freemasons have come together for such an important cause."